


A Good Luck Charm

by WeLoveLightning



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Budding Love, F/M, Friendship / Flirting / Thinking of You Fest, Friendship/Love, I'm Bad At Tagging, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, Post-Persona 5, Ryuann, Short & Sweet, Sports, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24385711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeLoveLightning/pseuds/WeLoveLightning
Summary: Ryuji makes his return to the track, and there is one person he wants to makes sure is there to watch.
Relationships: Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	A Good Luck Charm

Shoot! I’m late!” Ann said, looking at her watch, signaling the time as 14:45. If she knew that today’s photoshoot would last five hours, she would have told the agency find her replacement. She knew she should have cleared her schedule for today, but of course, she believed that she could found a way to make it all work. Today was a special after all.

“I hope I can make it in time for Ryuji’s event.” She couldn’t miss this. This will be Ryuji’s first track meet since that bastard, Kamoshida, broke his leg two years ago. Ann could remember that day Ryuji came to Shujin Academy on crutches. The news of his fight with Kamoshida and the disbandment of the track club spread like a wildfire among the gossipers at schools.

At that point in their lives, Ann and Ryuji were practically strangers, and yet, they both were being tied down by Kamoshida’s influence on the school. It was only fitting that they reunited to take down Kamoshida after what happened with Shiho. Fate had a funny way of bringing people together with the appearance of Ren Amamiya; Ann’s life became more chaotic with the emergences of the Phantom Thieves. But that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, her time as a Phantom Thief allowed her to befriend a lot of amazing people, and she was able to become the person she was truly meant to be.

\-----

 _Come on, Ryuji, just ask her already_. Ryuji has been repeating this in his head for the past week, trying to build up the nerves to ask Ann to come to his first track meet since his injury. He is nervous and he doesn’t know why. He wasn’t nervous when he confronted Kamoshida after Shiho’s suicide attempt, or he nearly go blown to pieces when Shido’s Palace was going up in smoke and the only way out was to drop the lifeboat from a sinking ship. So, why was he nervous now? It’s just Ann.

“Ryuji, were you even listening?” Ann said, glaring at him with her incredible blue eyes. “Ryuji!”

“What?”

“I was trying to thank you for coming with me for my photoshoot. I really appreciate it.”

Ryuji’s face flushed. “Oh, it’s no big deal really.” _No better time than now, I guess_ , Ryuji thought. “Hey Ann, are you busy next Saturday?” Ryuji could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He didn’t expect asking a simple question to be so nerve-wrecking.

“Oh? I… I got a photoshoot in the photoshoot in the morning, but I’m free in the afternoon. What’s up?”

“I have a track meeting, and I was wondering if you could come for moral support.” Now, it was time for the hard part. The response. _Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best._

“Sure, of course I can,” Ann said with the sweetest smile Ryuji ever seen. Ryuji just could help, but smile back in turn.

“For real!” Ryuji exclaimed, “The track meet starts in the morning, but my event isn’t until 15:00 so you got time.”

“Sounds great! I’ll make sure to be there in time.”

\-----

Ann managed to make it through the entry gate. She was surprised by the amount of people lined up at the ticket booth. _I didn’t think they would be this many people here,_ Ann noted, _Ryuji didn’t mention this at all._

Ann gazed at the stands, searching for an open spot in the shade to sit. The heat was punishing today, and she had her fill of it already at the photoshoot.

“Trouble finding a seat?” a woman’s voice said from behind Ann.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect so many people…” Ann turned, instantly recognizing the woman. Short black hair, brown eyes, and warming aura; Ann couldn’t mistake this woman for anyone else. Ann smiled, “Sakamoto-san!”

Ryuji’s mother smiled kindly, “Oh my, Ann-chan, you’ve grown since the last time I’ve seen you. Both you and Ryu-kun tower over me now.”

Ann blushed, rubbing the back of her head. Ann hasn’t seen Ryuji’s mother since her days at Jiyū Middle. The kind woman had always treated Ann and Shiho to snacks when she would come to watch Shiho’s volleyball games. For as loud and brash Ryuji normally is, he was a different person when he talked about his mother. He was much sweeter always speaking with great affection, and constantly smiling when talking about his mom. Ann almost felt jealous whenever she sees how happy Ryuji would get when mentioning his mother.

A voice over the intercom called out, “Next event, the 100-meter dash. I repeat, the 100-meter dash is next.”

“Ah, that’s Ryuji’s event.” Ann remembered. _Yes, I didn’t miss it._

“I have a seat open right next to me. Care to join me?” Sakamoto-san proposed.

Ann nodded, “Yes, that would be perfect. Thank you so much, Sakamoto-san.”

Ryuji’s mother chuckled, “No need to be so formal, Ann-chan. You can call me Ryoko-san. Like you did when you were younger.”

Ann blushed. She had forgotten that Ryuji gets his easygoing nature from his mother. “Well then, let the way, Ryoko-san,” Ann smiled.

Ryoko nodded, and proceeding into the stands. Ann followed as they headed into a shaded portion of the stands, which was lightly crowded and right in the middle section of the track. Ann noticed that where they were seated was not far from the Shujin track team. She looked among the group, hoping to find a certain blond but there was no luck. “A guess he already left,” Ann said, feeling dejected. She wanted to wish Ryuji good luck in his race. “I hope he knows I made it.”

“Trust me, Ann-chan. I don’t think Ryu-kun was ever worried about you not making it,” Ryoko said, pointing at the group near the starting line. Ann easily found her friend smiling and waving at her. Ann responded with a smile and wave of her own. “I think I ever seen Ryu-kun this excited before.”

“Well, this is his first time running in a race. Knowing Ryuji, he was probably ready to run as soon as his rehab was finished.”

Ryoko smiled. “Oh, I don’t think it was the race that got him all excited,” she said in a playfully manner. “Tell me, Ann-chan, how long have you and Ryu-kun been dating?”

Ann blushed. “D-dating?! Ryuji and I aren’t dating.”

“Oh,” Ryoko said surprised, “I must have been mistaken then. With how often Ryu-kun talks about you, I thought you two had finally started dating.”

“Ryuji talks about me?” Ann questioned.

“Oh yes, just last weekend he told me how beautiful you looked during your photoshoot. You would think he was a well-trained writer with how well he described your beauty.”

“Fo- for real?” Ann could barely contain her smile.

Ryoko glanced; smile crept on her face. “Yes,” she sighed, “and here I was about to call you my daughter.”

“Ryu- Ryoko-san!” Ann said startled. The older woman chuckled. Ann felt flustered by the revelation that Ryuji liked her. Flustered and relief that feeling was mutual. She wondered why he never confessed. Was he scared of ruining their friendship? Stop being friends once entering high school, and their lives both were miserable afterwards. Whatever the reason was, all Ann could let Ryuji know she felt the same.

\-----

Ryuji missed this feeling. He didn’t realize how great it felt to be back. The wind blowing, the crowds cheering on the runner, and the sense the world was focused solely on you once you started running. It was nostalgic feeling that was more refreshing than those sips of cool water after practice.

Ryuji looked at the other runners in his heat. They were nervous. Fidgeting. Ryuji may have been nervous as well, but not for the same reason as them. He looked up to the stands where his mother was sitting, and he saw _her_. _She came just like she promised._ Ryuji smiled.

He worked up the nerve to ask Ann to come see the “Soaring Dragon” return. Now, he just needed to live up to the expectations he made for himself. He wasn’t going to let himself be outshined in front of Ann. If there was ever a moment for him to show Ann his cool side, it was today.

“Alright, boys ups!” the field judge shouted.

 _Showtime!_ Ryuji thought. Ryuji walked to the starting line, placing his blocks down in the sweet spot where he like them. He kicked and swung his right leg a few times to make sure that it was still warm and ready to go.

Ryuji gazed down the track, looking at the finishing line. From the stands, a hundred meters seem so short, but on the track, it was more like a mile in the eyes of a runner. Ryuji knelt on the rubber track, placing each foot on its respective block. Both feet felt perfect. Neither one was too far or too close to the other. The moment of truth was at hand. _Alright, Ryuji, let’s what all those hours of rehab were for._

“Runners, on my mark.” Ryuji felt the world fall silent around him.

“Get set!” Ryuji raised his hip, getting into his starting stance. Ryuji stilled his breathing, barely feeling the beating of his own heart at that moment. His body was primed and ready like lightning struck at his core.

The gun sounded, and the race began. There was no hesitant in Ryuji’s start. Low and to the ground like all sprinters should do. His eyes focused on the piece of track barely in front his feet; a trick his senpai taught him to keep his head from rising too early.

Ryuji could feel his feet surge with power with every step he took while in his drive phase. Gradually his head began to rise slowly. The drive phrase was over, but the race had just begun. Now it was time to for some real speed.

Ryuji pumped his arms ferociously, in order to improve the movement of his legs speed. He could feel himself getting faster and faster after a while. Soon after, it felt as if his feet were barely touching the ground. This was it. He was at his top speed, and the finish line was getting closer and closer. All he had to do was finish.

He leaned his chest forward, a technique to shave off precious seconds off his time. Ryuji broke out of his trance. The crowd became audible again, the wind blew once more, and his heartbeat was thumping against his chest. Ryuji didn’t pay attention to the other runners. He never did. He looked up to the scoreboards to read the following list:

6th place: Kujo, Seven Sisters- 10.89s

5th place: Takamura, Gekkoukan- 10.72s

4th place: Nakato, Yasogami- 10.40s

3rd place: Tanaka, Kasugayama- 10.24s

2nd place: Hinata, Kosei- 10.20s

1st place: Sakamoto, Shujin- 10.18s

A thrill came over Ryuji as his fellow racers came to congratulate him. All he wanted to do was look up to that spot in the stands and see her cheering him on.

\-----

“Ryuji, you were amazing,” Ann said.

“Thanks,” Ryuji said with a half-eaten banana in his mouth.

“I wish that wasn’t your only race. I didn’t expect to watching a group of people run would have been this exciting.” Ann felt exhilarated.

Ryuji grinned, “I know right! It’s even more exciting running itself. I would love to be in the other races, but coach didn’t want to overwork since this is my first track meet in a while.”

“It seems like you two are getting along well,” Ryoko said, returning from the concession with two shaved ice. She handed one to Ann, “Here you go, Ann-chan.”

“Thank you, Ryoko-san,” Ann accepted gladly.

Ryuji looked at Ann’s cup, “Hey, let me get a taste.”

“No way,” Ann reeled her cup back, “Should you really be eating sugary food after a race anyway?”

“Oh, please,” Ryuji retorted, “if you see what other runners eat after a race, you wonder how they’re still so skinny. Besides, I just want one bite.” He reaches for her spoon.

Ann snatches her spoon away. “Fine, but I’ll feed it to you.”

Ryuji’s face flushed, “Alright, just hurry up.” He opened his mouth.

“Sakamoto-senpai!” one of the first years rushed over, “Naogami caught a cramp. Coach Hashiro says he’s putting you in the 4x1 as the replacement.”

Ryuji let out an exasperated sigh, “For real?!”

Ryuji rushed over to the team hangout and grabbed his track shoes. He came back to where Ann and Ryoko were sitting. “Mom, my good luck charm.”

Ryoko smiled, “Alright, come here.” Ryuji leaned over as his mother gave him a small peck on the cheek.

“I still want a taste of that shaved ice.” Ryuji said, turning to Ann.

“Well then, take a bite before you head down,” Ann said, taking a scoop of her shaved ice.

Ryuji swallowed the scoop immediately, enjoying the flavor and completely ignoring that the fact that it was an indirect kiss. That caused Ann to do something she would never did before.

Ann removed the spoon from Ryuji’s mouth and placed her lips on his. Ryuji stood back, shocked by what Ann did. To be fair, Ann was shocked as well. Ann could have sworn she heard Ryoko-san say something under her breath.

“What was that?” Ryuji asked, blushing.

Ann smiled, face bright red, “Just another good luck charm.”

**Author's Note:**

> Was bored. Decided to write a quick story about Ryuji and Ann.


End file.
